MLS

MLS Preview: Toronto FC - New England Revolution

Jared Wickerham

By Avi Creditor

0

Aug 29, 2013 2:37:00 PM

The Revs and Reds clash at BMO Field Friday night, with 15 points separating the two sides in the Eastern Conference standings.

The last time the New England Revolution won consecutive games, the club's streak was abruptly halted by a stunning loss to Toronto FC. The Revs will try and make sure that doesn't happen again this time around.

Fresh off outscoring the Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union by a combined 8-1 in two straight wins to catapult into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, New England gets another crack at TFC, with this encounter coming Friday night at BMO Field.

The Reds took a 1-0 result off the Revs at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 4 for their fourth -- and most recent -- victory of the season, with Matias Laba's second-minute goal holding up to halt New England's momentum following wins over Columbus and D.C. Laba won't be available to manager Ryan Nelsen on Friday, as he is still recovering from a broken toe.

That will be welcome news to Revolution manager Jay Heaps, who has seen his side flourish in the attack in recent weeks. Kelyn Rowe, Diego Fagundez and Juan Agudelo have combined to form an electric trio, with Rowe's brace of long-range goals sparking New England's 5-1 win over the Union on Sunday.

Of the three players, only Fagundez started in the loss to Toronto, with Agudelo still healing from a knee injury and Rowe coming off the bench. Fagundez and Agudelo figured into the scoring in the clubs' first meeting of the season, with New England winning 2-0 on May 25.

Toronto will have home-field advantage on its side this time around, though, as the Revolution have never won at BMO Field. In six all-time meetings there, the Revs are 0-2-4, and New England has only won once in 12 tries on Canadian soil.